Our People
James Cozens APRCSA – Recruitment Business Manager
James Cozens worked in Chartered Accounting before moving into recruitment and has 25 years recruitment experience in the Accounting, Legal, Technical and IT sectors. He has also held senior management roles for leading financial and IT recruiters in New Zealand and the UK and worked for the Practice Advisory arm of the UK Institute of Chartered Accountants.
James has recruited for all of the top International accounting firms, many large companies and smaller and medium sized organisations. He has placed candidates in roles throughout New Zealand and Australia as well as the UK, Western Europe, Canada, USA, Bermuda, the Caribbean and Dubai.
He is a past President of the New Zealand Division and past Board Director of the Recruitment & Consulting Services Association and is currently chair of the Advisory Board for Accountancy and Finance at UNITEC.
Sylvia Wood – Managing Director
Sylvia Wood has over twenty five years experience in human resources and employment relations. Her career at Director level in Corporate organisations led to the establishment of a successful consulting practice - HR KnowHow. This consulting practice developed a product arm in 2000 to include a range of services for small to medium sized companies. The services offered form an outsourced HR resource, providing both depth and expertise in human resources management and legal support for the small to medium business owner.
Sylvia set up Wood and Associates to service the recruitment needs of her existing client base and to offer the same structured and professional approach that Know How has been providing to an ever growing client base.
Sylvia has consulted to New Zealand’s largest corporates, central and local government organisations and to a wide range of businesses in the areas of legal compliance, restructuring, organisational review, strategic planning, employment relations, personal grievance management including mediation and negotiation of settlements, performance management, disciplinary processes, union negotiations, large scale change management projects, high performing team strategies and structures, human resource policy, system and process development, performance reviews, remuneration planning, incentive programmes and the development of high potential employees.
Helen Ewan – Human Resources Consultancy Manager
Helen Ewan has a BA in Psychology and Management.
Helen manages all advisory and account management services for KnowHow Limited.
She has a broad knowledge of HR and employment relations. She advises in restructuring, disciplinary processes, HR systems, policy, health and safety and remuneration systems. She is our expert on the Holidays Act.
Helen works with clients across a broad range of industries and provides full support to our recruitment business.
